Feeding attachment for meat grinders



' Feb. H, 1936.

w. NATURKACZ 2,930,758 I FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT GRINDERS Filed Aug. 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheetl w. NATURKACZ FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT GRINDERS File d Aug. 15, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT GRINDERS This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feeding attachment formeat grinders.

The primary object of the invention is to'provide an attachment for meat grinders and similar machines with means associated with the hopper element thereof for the feeding of material in the hopper through the grinder or cutter that is usually in the form of a cutting screw or spiral rendering it unnecessary, for the operator to force the material downwardly through the hopper with his hands and thereby eliminating the possibility of injury to the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide 1 a feeding attachment for. meat grinders of the character above set forth that is operatively engaged with the power shaft of the grinder for operation thereby. It is a further object of the invention to provide a feeding attachment of the foregoing character embodying a safety element rendered operative by the act of placing materials in the hopper of the grinder for disconnecting the feeding devices from the power shaft to eliminate injury to the hands of the operator when placing materials in the hopper of the grinder.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:--

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of the meat grinder equipped with a feeding attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating the gear train for operating the feed rollers; a

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the meat grinder shown in Figure 1, showing the clutch device and operating ring therefor above the hop per disconnecting the feeding device from the power shaft and illustrated in its disconnected position by dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; -V

Figure 5 is a sideelevational view of another form of feeding attachment embodying a ten sioned tamper above the feed hopper and an operating cam on the power shaft;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of another form of feeding device with another form of operating cam for the feeding device;

. Figure '7 is a detail sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Figure 6; and

Figures 8 and 9 are side and rear elevational views respectively of another form of feeding device and operating cam. therefor.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, and particularly Figures 1 to 4, the grinder disclosed thereby may be designed for use in various arts, but will herein be referred to as a meat grinder, the same comprising the 5 usual upwardly flaring feed hopper rising from the grinder body II that carries a grinder cylinder l2, the body ll being equipped with the usual depending clamp and screw assembly l3 to facilitate lodging the grinder upon a table or other support.

A grinder screw I4 is journalled longitudinally of the body H and cylinder l2 by means of the shaft l5 that is journalled at its forward end in a spider IS in the outlet end of the cylinder I2 and through the rear wall of the grinder body I l, the rear end lid of the shaft carrying the usual crank handle ll for operation thereof. A pair of shafts l8 and 19 are journalled at their ends in the front and rear walls of the grinder body 20 l l respectively at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the bodyand above the grinder screw l4, those portions of the shafts l8 and 19 between. the front and rear walls of the grinder body being of rectangular form as shown at 20 in Figure 4 to constitute keys for locking the feed rollers 2| thereto. Peripheral fins or blades of any appropriate design are carried by the rollers 2|, being designated by the reference character 22 for the purpose of feeding material in the hopper I0 downwardly onto the meat and grinder screw Ill. The shafts l8 and [9 are restrained from axial movementby means of the collars 23 and 24 retained in position on the rear projecting ends of the shafts l8 and ill by means of the set screws 5 25 'whilethe forward ends of the shafts l8 and I9 projecting through the front wall of the body H are threaded for the reception of thumb nuts 26.

The operating means for the feed rollers 2| inelude a pinion 21 fixed to the shaft end He that meshes with a pinion 28 carried by a hub 29 that is splined as at 33 upon the projecting shaft end I 9. The pinion 28 slidable upon the shaft end l9 remains constantly engaged with the pinion 21 upon the shaft end 15a as the pinion 2'! is of a width to maintain such meshing engagement within the limits of movement of the pinion. A gear 30 is carried by the collar 23 fixed to the shaft I 9 intermediate the end wall of the grinder body H and pinion 28 and the collar 23 constitutes one element 30a, of a clutch that cooperates with the clutch element 28a on the adjacent end of the collar 29, these clutch elements 30a 5 and 28: being illustrated in Figure 3 in their separated positions. The gear 30 meshes with a gear '31 rigid withthe collar 24 on the shaft l8 so that when the clutch elements 30a and 28a are engaged, rotation of the shaft l5a is imparted of the train'to operative positions and 2 that is pivotally mounted at its upperend as at 35 to a lug projecting from the feed hopper l and carrying at its upper end a ring element 31 that overlies the upper end of the feed hopper It). The lower end of the lever 34 is forked as at 56 for straddling the collar 29 and received in the annular groove 32 thereof. A coil spring 38 l is interposed between the feed hopper I0 and lever 34 below the pivot 35 for normally influencing the lower forked end 36 of the lever in a direction toward the grinder body I I for moving the clutch element 28a into engagement with the clutch element 30a. With the lever 34 in' the position shown by full lines in Figure 2, rotation of the pinion 21 is communicated to the pinion 28 and by means of the clutch element, the gears 30 and 3! are rotated for rotating the feed rollers 2 I. 'When foods or other materials are placed into the feed hopper ID, the hand of the operator engages the ring 31 to depress the same to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 for sliding the collar 29 on the shaft l9 to separate the clutch element 28a, fromthe clutch element 30a and when these parts are so positioned, the shaft lea may continue to revolve with the pinion 2! driving the pinion 28 freely on the shaft l9 while 7 the gears 30 and 3| remain'stationary and the feed rollers 2| are also idle. The spring 38 automatically returns the clutch elements and gears when pressure on the safety ring 31 is relieved.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure' 5, the shaft I50 that drives the feed screw l4 and is operated by the crank I! has a cam disk 40 fixed thereto that engages the lower end of a perpendicular slide rod 4! guided by the bracket arm 42 projecting laterally of the feed hopper H], the rod 4| being retained in its lowered position in engagement with the cam disk by means of the surrounding coil spring 43. The upper end of the rod 4| is pivotally attached as at 44 to' a spring arm 45 that'is pivotally mounted as at 45 upon the bracket arm 41 projecting laterally of the upper end of the feed hopper H], the upper end of the arm 45 being bent downwardly to overlie'the feed hopper and carrying a tamping disk 48 at its lower end. Upon rotation of the shaft la, the cam disk 40 elevates the rod 4| for the operation of the pivoted arm 45 to cause the tamping head 43 to descend into the feed hopper IQ for moving the material downwardly into the feed hopper for delivery to the grinding or feeding screw. 7

Another form of feed or tamping device for a food or other grinder is shown in Figures 6 and r 7, wherein the shaft I 5:; carries a'cam disk'49 that is surrounded by a circular strap 50 that has 'apivotal lug connection 5| with the lower end of a perpendicularly sliding rod 52 guided in its movement by the bracket 53 projecting laterally of the feed hopper Ill. The upper end of the rod 52 is angularly bent as at 54 and at the terminal end thereof overlying the feed hopper l0 there'is' provided a screw bearing 55 through which a screw rod 56 is adjustably threaded and is provided upon its lower end with a tamping disk51 The rotation of the shaft l5a effects tween the shaft and feed vertical reciprocatory movements of the rod 52 and similar movements for the tamping disk 51 that is adjustable as described.

Still another form of feed or tamping device for a grinder or similar machine is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 wherein the shaft I5a has a disk '58 eccentrically fixed thereto and is providedwith a camgroove 59 in one side face thereof that receives the pin 50 projecting laterally of the lower end of the'resilient rod 6| vertically slidable in a guide 62 carried by the feed hopper I ll. The

upper end of the rod 6| is bent laterally and downwardly as at 63 and carries a tamping head 64 at its lower end overlying the feed hopper l0.

From the above detailed description, it is believed that the operation of the several forms of the invention will at once be apparent and while there are herein'shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that'minorchanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. Iclaim:' V" V i 1. In a device of the class described, a meat grinder including a spiral cutter, an operating shaft therefor, feed rollers journalled above and laterally of the cutter, a gear train interposed between the shaft and feed rollers, a two-part clutch in the gear train, and means for separating the clutch parts to render the gear train inactive, said means including a'lever pivoted on the upper end of the grinder at the outer side thereof, a ring carried by the lever and overlying the grinder adjacent the marginal edge thereof, a

connection between the other end of the lever and one of the clutch parts and a spring connection between the lever and grinder for normally holding the clutch parts in engagement for operation of the gear train.

2. In a device of the class described, a meat grinder including a spiral cutter, an operating shaft therefor, feed rollers journalled above and laterally of the cutter, a gear train interposed between the shaft and feed rollers, a two-part clutch in the gear train, and means for separating the clutch partsadapted to be manually operated during'feeding of meat to the grinder for rendering the gear train inactive, said means including a lever pivoted on the upper end of the grinder at the outer side thereof, a ring carried by the lever and overlying thegrinder adjacent the marginal edge thereof, a connection between the other end of the lever and one of the clutch parts and a spring connection between the lever and grinder for normally holding the clutch parts in engagement for operation of the gear train.

3. In a device of the class described; a meat grinder including a spiral cutter, an operating shaft therefor, feed rollers journalled above and laterally of the cutter, a gear train interposed beclutchin the gear train, the grinder adapted to be manually operated during feeding of meat to the grinder for rendering the gear train inactive, said means including a lever pivoted on the upper endrof the grinder at the outer side thereof, a ring carried by the lever and overlyrollers, a two-part ing the grinder adjacent the marginal edge there- 7:

of, a connection between the other end of the lever and one of the clutch parts and a spring connection between'the lever and grinder for normally holding the clutch parts in engagement for operation of the gear train.

WALTER NATURKACZ. 

